Importance

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Abstract

Two multiple link robot arms (10) are mounted to a torso link (11), and each of them includes an offset hand (30) and two motors (50, 52) capable of independent operation that provides movement of the offset hand along along combinations of angular, radial, linear, and curvilinear paths. The first motor rotates a forearm (22) about an elbow axis (24), and the second motor rotates an upper arm (14) about a shoulder axis (16). A motor controller (54) controls the first and second motors in two operational states that respectively enable linear extension or retraction of the robot arm radial to the shoulder axis and enable angular displacement of the hand about the shoulder axis. A distal end (34) of each offset hand is offset such that during first operational state motion, the distal end follows paths parallel to lines radial to the shoulder axis. The offset distance (240) is set so that when properly rotated in the second operational state, both offset hands can follow a common hand extension line (44) that is a perpendicular bisector between the shoulder axes of the robot arms. This allows specimens (206) retrieved by either offset hand to be placed on a processing station (208) located along the hand extension line.

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First Claim